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Ryan Kuchiki
| birthday = 17th March | age = 300+ | gender = Male | height = 180 cm (5'11") | weight = 64 kg (141.1 lbs) | eyes = Brown | hair = Black | unusual features = Assortment of scars | affiliation = , Soul Society, Gotei 13 | previous affiliation = | occupation = Lieutenant of the 5th Division | previous occupation = 3rd Seat of the 6th Division | team = 5th Division | previous team = 6th Division | partner = Yuuna Tomoko, Miria Fujibayashi, Blake Shihōin | previous partner = Sōritsu Kuchiki | base of operations = 5th Division Barracks, Seireitei | marital status = Single | education = Shinō Academy, Sōritsu Kuchiki | family = (Grandfather) (Father, deceased) (Deceased) (Uncle, deceased) (Cousin, deceased) (Cousin-in-Law, deceased) (Adopted Cousin) Sōritsu Kuchiki (Surrogate Father) | clan = | status = Active | shikai = Satsuriku | bankai = Muhensai Satsuriku }} Ryan Kuchiki (ライアン朽木, Kuchiki Raian), better known as Rose (ローズ, Rōzu), is the Lieutenant of the 5th Division of the Gotei 13, under Captain Yuuna Tomoko. He is also the son of and , the grandson of , the protege of Sōritsu Kuchiki, as well as the 30th Head of the . Appearance Ryan is a highly fit and athletic Shinigami. He sports a muscular and well toned physique, calm brown eyes and flowing black hair of which he usually ties up in a ponytail sporting many spikes, with a neatly trimmed fringe and well-maintained bangs which frame his face on either side. Lately however he has begun to let his hair grow out, though only at the back, mimicking his surrogate father. In addition he sports deliberately dyed short tufts of red hair on the left side of his head, in the same fashion as his departed father Kōga. Unlike his uncle Sōjun who, despite his spiritual strength, was quite sickly, Ryan actually takes after the Kuchiki of old and has no such weakness or frailty; a fact Sōritsu commented on. He holds himself with pride and nobility but is still approachable, with a down to earth personality that encourages friendship in those he encounters. However, in battle, he is known to wear a face of angry calm, much in the same vain as his surrogate father, Sōritsu. Ryan favors the typical Shihakushō (死覇装, Garment of Dead Souls) of the Shinigami with black kosode featuring a high collar and protective red shoulder guards in the Academy fashion, hakama, a white ōbi, black tabi and average waraji. He commonly wears his zanpakutō threaded through his ōbi in the traditional style, his two sheaths overlapping very slightly. In addition to the above Ryan wears the silver-white windflower light silk scarf wrapped around his neck and, dependent on his mood, the Kenseikan in his hair. When he does wear it he lets his hair hang loose and keeps the Kenseikan to the right. In addition he also, like his departed father before him, wears a red scarf though his is short and worn like a sash which is fastened over his left shoulder, instead of being draped over his shoulders. Personality Ryan is, unlike most members of the famed Kuchiki Clan, quite approachable and down to earth. The only ornate piece he wears daily is the silver-white windflower light silk scarf given to Heads of the Kuchiki Clan. He has a strong bond with the members of the 5th and 6th Divisions of the Gotei 13, and spends much of his time in the company of Miria Fujibayashi, Yukimura Kori and Sakata despite finding the latter strange and unnerving. He generally converses more with women than with men and is more comfortable around them, which is a result of having been raised by his mother and the female retainers of the Kuchiki clan. Another woman Ryan has a working relationship with is his Captain, Yuuna Tomoko, whom he has a rather comical relationship with. When Ryan asked her for leave to try and regain his stolen Bankai he joked about marrying her, with Yuuna asking if he'd come to declare his undying love for her. Ryan refers to her always as "Señorita Capitán", literally meaning "Miss Captain". He also speaks some phrases in , with his favorite being "Quizá más tarde", meaning "maybe later". The only male Ryan has ever connected with positively was Sōritsu, who became a surrogate father to him. Although Sōritsu is quite harsh to Ryan it is clear he does so only to see him become all he was destined to be, as Sōritsu believes him to have the potential to surpass even he. Another male he has also connected with was Blake Shihōin, whom he calls Echo, though this is far from a positive relationship. He and Echo are forever at one another's throats, usually over the smallest of things, though regardless they always have each others back in battle. As fellow Lieutenants they are often grouped together on missions, despite their shared hostility. However, on at least some level, Ryan does indeed care for Echo and has repeatedly put himself in harms way to help him; much in the same way he does with Miria. What is even more surprising is that Echo is just as willing to put himself in danger to help Ryan, despite him following the creed of the Onmitsukidō almost religiously. When it comes to duty and law, however, Ryan is steadfast; though he is more lenient in matters of law than he ever would be in terms of duty. He sternly believes that a man is only as good as their word, and if he could be remembered by his peers as a man who kept his word he'd then be able to die a happy man. As the head of one of the great noble families of Soul Society, he works hard for a peaceful society and dislikes battle outside a controlled setting, such as a training match. Unless he can help it Ryan would go out of his way to avoid conflict and bloodshed but if pushed would bloody his own hands without hesitation; even if he doesn't enjoy the act of killing. It is usually his sense of duty which leads him to draw his Zanpakutō, but he is just as likely to draw it in order to protect those he cherishes, and would happily throw himself in the way to take a blow in their stead. He also sees the worth in others around him and because he knows the majority of the 5th and 6th Division on at least some level, is aware of each of their strengths and corresponding limitations. This strikes a prominent clash between him and his disgraced father. When consumed by his anger, Kōga became immensely arrogant in his power to the point of viewing all others as worthless. Even his Zanpakutō, , fell victim to Kōga's rage. Ryan, on the other hand however, sees nothing but the potential in someone; seeing it as his duty to nurture that potential and let it blossom. Coupled with his Bankai special ability, this is one trait which led to his nickname of Rose. His caring nature is also what ultimately cements him in the hearts of his greatest allies. History Ryan was born the son of and 's six months after Kōga was sealed away by Ginrei and . Growing up Ryan would routinely visit Sōritsu Kuchiki and always referred to him as Katame-sama (片目様, Mr. One-eye); a reference to the scar running through his right eye. This annoyed Sōritsu but he decided against sending the boy away due to him having lost his father and uncle, , so quickly one after the other. Ryan would come to identify Sōritsu as a father-figure and Sōritsu took the young Kuchiki under his wing. Whilst he was still the 3rd Seat of the 6th Division Ryan mastered his release under Sōritsu's guidance. The two also began training against one another using their Bankai so that Ryan quickly gained familiarity with Muhensai Satsuriku. These sessions would continue well into the future, with Sōritsu saying they kept him fit and healthy, and Ryan on his toes. In addition Ryan partook in many missions alongside Anīka Shihōin to the . It was during these missions that she taught Ryan all she knew about Hohō. During the Ryan battled against the Quincy without making much headway. He refrained from using his Bankai to avoid having it stolen and so relied upon his Kidō skills. After sensing the apparent death of , Ryan flew into a rage and incinerated his enemy with . As he fought he sensed Sōritsu take to the battlefield and, fearing for the man who had been like a father to him, proceeded to where Sōritsu was fighting. Along the way he rescued Miria Fujibayashi from a large Heilig Pfeil, receiving extensive scarring to his left arm in the process before killing the attacking Quincy through Iaido. With Miria beside him he continued to press on and eventually came across Sakata outnumbered and on the back foot. Miria engulfed the attackers in a short lasting but painful downpour of super-heated rain, which enabled Ryan to electrify the group with a fully powered . Running ahead to Sōritsu Ryan arrived in time to deflect an attack from Sōritsu's stolen Bankai. Telling him to stand back Sōritsu proceeded to destroy the Quincy known as Zorn, explaining that he could use his Bankai abilities even in Shikai and called him a fool for underestimating a Shinigami's power. He then told Ryan to prepare by shoring up the defenses in preparation for the arrival of the Royal Guard. Sometime later he vowed at Byakuya's bedside that he would protect the Soul Society and the Kuchiki Clan. Much later Ryan was considered for the vacant Captaincy position of the 10th Division following Meian Shiba's resignation by way of the Captain proficiency test (隊首, taishu). It is known that he was presented with eligibility by Captain Shin Nagakura, who did it as a favor to Sōritsu. In this exam he was pitted against Captain Tadashi Kori and Captain Kei Yume. He failed the test however because former Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya excelled in his own proficiency test and was awarded the post instead. Following this Ryan was officially named the 30th Head of the Kuchiki Clan at the expense of his cousin, Daisuke Kuchiki, and awarded the treasured scarf made by master weaver Tsujishirō Kuroemon III. He also began wearing the Kenseikan (牽星箝, "Star-Pulling Insert") in his hair. Eventually Ryan was named the Lieutenant of the 5th Division by Captain Yuuna Tomoko. Synopsis :Main Article - Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi). Part II Soul Society arc *Gathering of the Gotei Part III Impostor arc *Noble Matters *Flushing out Quincy *Defeat and Robbery *Walking the Correct Path? *Resolve Restoration arc *Meeting old Friends *Pushing the Limits Quincy Emergence arc *Quincy Invasion Saga Part IV Part V Equipment Ginjōtan (銀条反, Stripe of Inverted Silver): A steel sash worn under armor, its contributing weight makes it harder for Ryan to move fast. He received it as a gift from Echo, who said that this particular one was made with the goal of stopping Ryan's stolen Bankai, Muhensai Satsuriku, to thus provide Ryan with a chance to survive his Bankai's fearsome potential to cut. Renkei: A paired bracelet worn upon Ryan's left wrist, which appears slightly segmented. Its pair is worn by Miria Fujibayashi. The bracelets allow them to share their spiritual power as well as communicate with one another over any range as long as they stay within the same realm. Powers and Abilities : Being stated as a Shinigami with Captain-level ability all-around the board, Ryan has a great amount of spiritual power at his disposal despite his position as a Lieutenant. Sōritsu believes that he will one day surpass even him and went on to detail that, even by Captain-level standards, his spiritual power is particularly strong. His spiritual energy has been shown to be powerful enough to affect small areas to the point of disrupting energy attacks from his enemies within that space, as well as cause his enemies to enter a state of paralysis and confusion. Much like Echo his spiritual power is white. Zanjutsu Master: Ryan is a master of zanjutsu. He has fully mastered all three Forms of zanjutsu taught within the Shinō Academy and, in addition, has mastered . As such he is fully capable of flawless precision and lethal attacks with only a single slash from a sheathed position. Ryan's skill in the Zanjutsu art of Iaido is incredibly advanced, honed in fierce battle against his surrogate father, Sōritsu. His mastery of the art has progressed to the point that Echo, a notable practitioner of , claims using Kidō against Ryan is almost impossible as the enemy is left with two choices: defend against his slash at the expense of the spell or attempt to get the spell out in time, though facing the risk of being killed instantly. *'Form I: Chūishiki:' Ryan's usage of Form I is quite passive. His technique is characterized by a tight and solid defense, so that he can simply facilitate survival. When asked why he wasn't more aggressive Ryan replied with "I give ground, defneding against my enemy, so that I may witness his technique and then exploit it". As such Ryan uses it to "feel out" his enemy, employing balanced blade work with little counterattacking flair to be had at all. :*'Busō' (武装, Disarm): Ryan explains that his Form I usage is very passive and defensive, though there are times when he does press home his own offense. With Busō Ryan attempts to take advantage of an opening in his opponents offense by seizing their leading hand and pulling them into an arm-lock before slashing at the back of their neck. As most Shinigami possess only a single Zanpakutō with which they can attack and defend with, when Ryan seizes their hand and by proximity the hilt of their Zanpakutō, they are ultimately defenseless against the swift slash that follows. *'Form II: Genjūshiki:' Ryan's usage of Form II is particularly skillful. His technique is characterized by sudden bursts of heavy-sweeping blows with a two-handed grip which, when used, proved powerful enough to upset the rhythm of a Quincy with Captain-level ability when he used Blut Arterie. He is even capable of answering the Forms weakness through his Shunpo skill, enabling him to offer immediate counters. He favors constant offensive marches mixed with superb evasion to allow him to offer immediate counters. :*'Tatsu' (断つ, Sever): Ryan explains that his Form II usage is easily his most vicious form, as he favors constant offensive marches, subtle evasion rather than deflection of an enemies blade, followed by immediate counters. Tatsu is the ultimate expression of this viciousness. It is a technique aimed directly at an enemies limbs, the aim to dismember them as it completely destroys the opponent, both figuratively and literally. *'Form III: Kyūshiki:' Ryan's Form III usage, while advanced, is not his favored form. He feels it offers too many dangers with little gain. However, when he does employ his skills, his strikes are linked, swift and blur together into a steady torrent of strikes that can be quite difficult to react to let alone counter. :*'Yosōu' (装う, Feign): Ryan's Form III usage focuses primarily on Zanjutsu skill mixed with his superb knowledge of speed enhancement techniques. By feigning exhaustion or even injury he lulls his enemy into a false sense of victory, which is when he strikes. Yosōu embodies the swift movements of Form III, allowing Ryan to move and attack multiple times with exceptional speed; usually slashing his enemy so many times that they fall dead or unconscious. Hohō Expert: Ryan commands great skill in Shunpo, having been taught in the art by Anīka Shihōin. He can keep up with Captain-level Shinigami and react instinctively to close-range attacks with little time at his disposal. Despite his position Ryan was trained by one of the greatest Hohō practitioners of her time, and can perform all the techniques she taught him. As such, he is informed on a vast number of high-level techniques and knows the proper manner in which to counter them. *'Senka Utsusemi' (閃花空蝉, Flash Blossom Cicada): a combination technique and Ryan's most used technique. By playing on the weaknesses of Form II of Zanjutsu combat, Ryan creates an opening most enemies simply can't help but exploit. He then moves at great speed, leaving at least one tangible after-image behind, where he then moves behind the opponent to directly attack and seal off their " " (鎖結, Chain Binding) and " " (鎖結, Soul Sleep) in two rapid attacks. Enhanced Strength: Ryan possesses an incredible degree of raw physical strength, his physical conditioning being developed by facing the Bankai of Sōritsu. Even after losing his own Bankai Ryan maintained an impressive degree of strength, and was capable of cutting through a Shinigami's Zanpakutō as well as a Quincy's Spirit Weapon with only a single slash. The sheer force of his blows are enough to disrupt the rhythm of his enemies movement, throwing them off balance and enabling him to follow-up with similar power-blows. When he did use his Bankai his strength was reputed to be unsurpassed by any Kuchiki Head who came before him. Kidō Master: Ryan is, much like his mentor, skilled in the use of Kidō to the point he is regarded as one of the foremost practitioners of the art outside the Kidō Corps. He is capable of using spells to disrupt the movements of large-scale Bankai and thus exploiting their greatest weakness, while also using it as a counter to attacks. Even Ryan's low-leveled spells command great power and are capable of punching through solid structures, such as Sōritsu's Bankai dome, during practice sessions. He is particularly skilled in spell combinations, as shown against Sōritsu, as he fired Hadō #85 followed immediately thereafter with Hadō #84, creating a much more potent attack that was capable of overpowering the elder Kuchiki. he did this whilst injured and fatigued from earlier battles as well, showing not only great spell control, but amazing fortitude as well. Enhanced Durability: Having fought against Sōritsu's Bankai extensively Ryan has become a durable and highly fit Shinigami, who is mostly resistant to even the highest level of fire-based attack. Even after what seems like fatal hits he can continue to operate as if the wound didn't effect him, and even catch the killing edge of an enemies sword unharmed. During the Vandenreich Invasion he deflected a Heilig Pfeil twice again the size of his own body with only his left arm, though it left him scarred extensively. Regardless he was capable of operating as though the injury hadn't effected him and later deflected an attack from Sōritsu's stolen Bankai. He later demonstrated the required resistance to take a thorough beating from Echo and Yukimura, both of whom used their highest Zanpakutō, without succumbing to his injuries. He then immediately fought against Sōritsu's Bankai and emerged victorious. Enhanced Endurance: Ryan has shown himself to be a highly fit young man. Endurance is the act of persevering, which Ryan has repeatedly shown himself capable of doing. During the Vandenreich Invasion he refused to be beaten by his Quincy opposition, standing again and again through sheer force of will, which, coupled with multiple emotional outbursts, allowed him to gain an advantage over his enemies. Even against a Bankai he can continue to fight even when he only uses his Shikai. This he demonstrated in specialized training sessions with Echo, Yukimura and Sōritsu. Yukimura remarked that it was amazing that he was even standing, with Echo remarking that Ryan had always been like that, refusing to be beaten and standing again despite the odds. Enhanced Speed: Ryan is an incredibly dextrous individual. His reflexes have been honed in fierce battle against Sōritsu's Bankai, enabling him to react to waves of molten metal fired at a fraction of the speed of light, usually without being hit. His reflexes and general speed is shown most strongly when he performs Iaido, of which he has mastered extensively. The extreme speed of his drawing slash prevents most enemies using Kidō against him as they cannot focus on their incantations or the hand motions needed to perform them, giving him a huge advantage over users excelling in Kidō. This also applies to those who require a fighting pose to fire their techniques, an example being and the faster attack. Even without Shunpo he can avoid attacks aimed against him, even with little actual time to react, whilst offering immediate counters through physical or spiritual attacks. Hakuda Expert: Ryan is proficient enough in Hakuda to incapacitate lower-level Shinigami. While preferring to use his blade in battle, Ryan has demonstrated several times to be very dangerous barehanded as well. Miria notes him to be utterly fearless, meaning he isn't against grabbing his opponents sword in battle to create an opening. By no means do his skills not lack polish however. During his Academy days and in the years since, Ryan has increased his skills regardless in order to address his rivalry with Echo. As such he is capable of holding his own against seasoned Hakuda masters for periods of time. He is particularly skilled in , meaning he's always seeking to use the most advantageous movement in battle. Zanpakutō Satsuriku (殺戮, Slaughter). Ryan's zanpakutō is sealed in the form of twin with circular guards and black sheaths. He wears them threaded through his ōbi in the traditional style with the sheaths overlapping slightly. *' :' Even though Satsuriku no longer dwells within the blade, Ryan can releas his zanpakutō through sheer force of will with the command Begin (始まる, Hajimaru). :Shikai Special Ability: In its Shikai, Saturiku retains only one blade. The other separates into thousands of tiny blade fragments before expanding in size to form whole blades which float around Ryan in a continuously moving, column-like array. Ryan explains that it resembles his cousin Byakuya's (殲景, Slaughterscape) technique, but says that his is much different, as he cannot actually attack with these blades as Byakuya could. Within the column of blades Ryan is capable of projecting powerful illusions, upsetting his enemies rhythm, and instilling despair, confusion and fear in their hearts. The expanse within the column also intensifies fear, dulling ones power. Even for those capable of controlling their emotions the lure of Satsuriku's power will eventually break through their efforts. :*'Enhanced Shikai Duration:' Through the years of practice needed to learn his Bankai, Ryan all but eliminated the energy requirement to stay in his Shikai state, at times using that as his "base" form. He has even been noted to keep it active after taxing battles, retaining its released state even whilst he sleeps. As such Ryan can, if he choose, keep his zanpakutō in a constant state of Shikai and has even used it as his "ace-in-the-hole" against certain enemies, especially after losing his Bankai. One ability he did retain, however, was the ability to active it without a verbal command. :*'Tosho' (屠所, Slaughterhouse): a technique Ryan uses by combining the surrounding blades of Satsuriku with Kidō. With it Ryan can "latch" onto multiple blades using invisible Kidō threads. He can then direct the caught blades through hand, wrist and arm motions to attack his enemies with a torrent of bladed strikes. *' :' Stolen by Aldric Adler. Former Powers and Abilities Bankai *' :' Muhensai Satsuriku (無辺際 殺戮, Boundless Slaughter). Ryan initiates Bankai by stabbing his remaining zanpakutō into the floor and generating a spiritual pulse that causes the ground to shake and crack. The column-like array of his Shikai ripples and begins twisting around him quickly before condensing into a single katana almost identical to Satsuriku's sealed state. Ryan himself also dons a new Shihakushō with long ends. When Miria Fujibayashi saw him perform it for the first time she remarked that his sword was "vibrating" with power and that its will to cut lay thick on the air. :Bankai Special Power: Ryan explains that the cutting power of Muhensai Satsuriku is unsurpassed as each and every blade in Shikai was condensed within his blade. Ryan's Bankai also has two different forms. These techniques are activated by saying the name of the technique, followed by the name of his Bankai, Muhensai Satsuriku. :*'Souka' (挿花, Flower Arrangement): This technique recreates the effects of Satsuriku's Shikai with heightened effects. There is a heightened sense of emotional turmoil within its victims and Ryan can now use the surrounding blades as though they were an extension of his body by directing them to strike his enemies in a storm of blades. He does not, however, retain his usage of illusionary abilities; instead gaining greater offensive and defensive flexibility. At any time he can also reduce the blades down into tiny almost invisible fragments numbering in the thousands which appear like rose petals falling from the sky. It was this ability that earned Ryan his nickname Rose. :*'Meimūfū' (迷妄風, Illusion Style): This technique enhances Ryan's illusionary abilities at the expense of the wide-spread offense provided by Souka. Ryan punctures the ground with Muhensai Satsuriku and releases a pulse through the earth, lacing the ground in the reiatsu of Muhensai Satsuriku. Using that power in conjunction with his own reiatsu Ryan can quickly and easily dominate an enemies senses through illusionary powers which are so detailed and realistic that few can discern them from reality. In fact only one individual has been fit to see through Meimūfū completely and that was the famed Weaver of Dreams, Kei Yume. Notable Relationships Kuchiki Sōritsu Kuchiki: The only man Ryan has positively identified with throughout his life. Sōritsu acted as Ryan's surrogate father and took him as his protege, seeing in him great potential. And although he acts harsh Sōritsu cares deeply for Ryan, feelings which Ryan reciprocates. Daisuke Kuchiki: It is known that Ryan respects his cousin a great deal, though it also quite clear he fears him a little as well. The mere mention of Daiksuke by Yuuna was enough for Ryan to maintain he wouldn't take long hunting the Quincy responsible for stealing his Bankai, for fear of his absence disappointing Daiksuke. Gotei 13 Lieutenant Miria Fujibayashi: Ryan and Miria met during the Vandenreich Invasion. Ryan saved her life by killing the attacking Quincy and even used his own body as a shield, resulting in extensive scarring of his left arm. Over the years the two have maintained their friendship with Miria being one of Ryan's closest confidants. When he wanted to worm his way out of a marriage proposal he and Miria pretended to be a couple to fool the other family. Later he again put his body on the line to save hers from Siegfried. Lieutenant Blake "Echo" Shihōin: Although the two dislike being in each others company for even the briefest time-span (making Lieutenant meetings for them particularly difficult), they have been paired together repeatedly by their superiors ever since their Academy days, regardless of their feelings. What caused their mutual dislike for one another is not known, though many have speculated towards an event in their childhood, though the truth remains skewed and ultimately unknown. Whatever the cause Echo and Ryan are often at one another's throat as a direct result. However, despite their differences, the two make a formidable team and have come to trust each other explicitly to guard the others back in battle which, again, stems from their Academy days. During their studies the two were the fiercest of rivals and competed with one another in everything they did, whether it was a trivial matter at best or full-blown training sessions. Lieutenant Yukimura Kori: Lieutenant Sakata: Ryan and Sakata met during the Vandenreich Invasion where Ryan saved him from Quincy forces. Sakata later healed the scarring on Ryan's left arm which he sustained shielding Miria, sparking their friendship. Regardless however the two maintained distance for Sakata preferred his own company while Ryan was more comfortable with girls. Enemies Aldric Adler: Aldric is the Quincy who stole Ryan's Bankai. As such he would like nothing more than to strangle the life from him with his bare hands. Appearances in Other Series Bleach: Tower of Night Ryan appears in the seperate universe depicted in the Bleach: Tower of Night series, as Lieutenant of the 6th Division of the Gotei 13, under his father and Captain Kōga Kuchiki. Just like his main timeline counterpart, Ryan wields the Zanpakutō Satsuriku, and is generally the same personality-wise. Behind the Scenes *Ryan's appearance is based on Sengoku Iori from . Navigation